Paper Title
ACHIEVING IT-BUSINESS ALIGNMENT - DRIVING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Abstract
Abstract - In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, the alignment of Information Technology (IT) and business objectives has become imperative for organizations to maintain their competitive edge. This article presents an overview of the latest data and trends concerning IT and Business alignment, emphasizing the dynamic nature of this relationship in the digital age. Data from recent years underscores the increasing significance of IT in driving business growth. As organizations invest in digital technologies, cloud computing, and data analytics, the alignment between IT and business goals has grown in importance. Society of Information Management (SIM) recent survey indicates that Cybersecurity remains a top concern for organizations, and IT-business alignment is vital in ensuring data protection and privacy (Fig 1). Recent data shows that cybersecurity breaches continue to rise, underscoring the importance of IT and business units collaborating to fortify defenses and proactively address threats Recent data (Table Below) from the Society of Information management shows that IT and Business alignment continues to be ranked among the top 4 list of important/worrisome IT Management issues since 2013 Results from the previous research by Luftman and Kempaiah shows that alignment maturityis dynamic and continually evolving, there are reasons why alignment still even today continues to be an important issue globally. Achieving alignment requires IT staff to have sufficient business understanding of their core operations and business staff to have sufficient understanding of technical knowledge of IT solutions used in their organizations.A study by the IT Governance Institute showed that organizations with strong IT-business alignment are 20% more profitable than those with poor alignment. This article highlights that IT and Business alignment is no longer an option but a necessity for organizations seeking sustainable growth. As technology continues to evolve, it is imperative for businesses to harness the potential of IT to stay competitive, meet customer expectations, and mitigate risks. Organizations that successfully align IT and business strategies are better positioned to navigate the dynamic and unpredictable business landscape of the digital era. This article will leverage the concepts of SAM using Luftman’s model in analyzing the current state of IT-business alignment. Organizations need to address SAM components (e.g., communications, partnerships, IT metrics, Governance, human resources, and technology scope) in identifying the degree of alignment. Analyzing the alignment maturity has provided significant insights on how companies are organizing for global competition today. This article presents the major findings based on 66 surveys from 11 companies (data gathered over the past 8 months). Luftman’s survey was used to collect data from IT and Business professionals. The breakdown of the companies are as follows: Pharmaceutical companies – 4, Financial institutions – 3, IT service companies – 4).Elements from all the six components from Luftman’s maturity model were analyzed. The responses were also benchmarked against Luftman’s global data from 321 Fortune 1,000 companies. Analyzing the responses has provided lot of insights about the alignment maturity from these companies. Over the years, we have found that there is no single solution to this alignment problem. In reality, companies need to address all the six maturity components. Keywords - Alignment of IT-Business, Business-IT Alignment, IT-Business Alignment.